The Burning Times Documentary - Part 1

This beautifully crafted film is an in-depth look at the witch-hunts that swept through Europe just a few hundred years ago. False accusations and trials led to massive torture and burnings at the stake, and ultimately to the destruction of an organic way of life. The film advances the theory that widespread violence against women and the neglect of our environment today can be traced back to those times. Part two of a series of three films on women and spirituality, which includes Goddess Remembered and Full Circle.
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NOTE ABOUT COMMENT POLICY: I do moderate comments for this video series, because it is a sensitive topic. I want women to feel comfortable, and to promote an environment of productive understanding. Comments that I decide are sexist, hateful, bigoted or just unproductive won't be approved. It can sometimes take me a couple of days to notice that a comment has been posted, so please be patient and don't double-post your comments. If you're sure that you've posted something appropriate and a week goes by without it being approved, then go ahead and post it again. I probably just missed it. Thanks and enjoy this great series.

REMARKS: I posted this video uncertain of how it would be received, though I suspected there were many others, particularly women, who would find it to be a clarifying link to our history. Even that word history erases the account of women, but such is the power of what happened during the Burning Times. I've read every single comment that has been posted, including the 15% or so that I moderate out, and I am glad that it has been so meaningful to Pagans, who have very few serious films to choose from that treat their roots with respect. Whether you are Pagan or not, the important thing to understand as you watch this video is that the Burning Times was a holocaust perpetuated on a culture that regarded women as patently valuable in spiritual and social importance, which seems the most obvious thing in the world to believe from simple observation of both ourselves biologically and nature at large. But that was the problem: a nature-based religion left no room for a centralized metaphysical authority, and no matter how hard Rome tried to coax these cultures into a comparatively nonsensical belief in order to better rule over their resources and land, an independent human's natural curiosity leads one back to the rhythms of observable nature, and inevitably into questioning the authority of the Church. In order to destroy such a compellingly sensible view of the world -- a view that was, in many respects, the ancient precursor of modern science -- an act of genocidal terrorism was committed, for it was only that kind of fear that finally subdued people into accepting the counter-intuitive view that humans are separated from nature, and sublimated the recognition of the intrinsic duality between the feminine and male elements that underpins our very existence.

This was one of our darkest periods, one that brought out the very worst in people -- our morbid sadistic bloodthirst that thrilled in the power of life and death over others -- and it is, I think, fair to say that we still struggle with this now. Perhaps we always did. Even today, almost all women live with a distinct but unarticulated fear and uncertainty of their place in society, but perhaps in understanding what happened to bring that about -- that it was a specific series of events that really happened, and her fear is that awful legacy -- women may come to feel less isolated and more willing to move past that fear to find their own sense of purpose that they define for themselves. If this video plays any positive part in that, I am very happy for it.

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UPDATE: You can buy the entire series here: http://www3.nfb.ca/collection/films/fiche/index.php?id=29928
Please consider buying it. Not only is it a fantastic series well worth having, but remember that buying the movies encourages more of these kinds of films to be made.
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Here are the links to all the parts of the series in order:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqRir6...
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFZie-...
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejYTgF...
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQb_YLz9qtU
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR2dHbA-orw
Part 6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kF8-XxbQ3EA

Category:

Education

Tags:

• wicca
• witch
• pagan
• witchcraft
• trials
• wiccan
• documentary
• inquisition
• feminism
• feminist
• women
• radical
• history

[DMSelena]

I apologize to all those who have posted comments over the past year who I haven't approved. It was only because I haven't been keeping up with them and I try to make sure that misogyny doesn't make it here, not because I found fault with most of the comments -- 98% of them were constructive.

[circe221]

I would be interested to see a link or source for some of the below information - specifically the statement that the existence of ancient feminine religions has been disproven.

[DMSelena]

It depends upon which culture you're talking about, but for most Wiccans/NeoPagans, they draw their idea of a goddess-centric mythology from books written by Robert Graves (The White Goddess, Greek Myths) where he made up these myths whole cloth (begin on the Coligny Calendar entry on Wiki for some references). He influenced Gardener & other early Wiccan/Neopagan revivalists. However, Google the Mosuo if you are interested in a real goddess-centric culture. You might be surprised.

[just1singlegirl]

@DMSelena Religion is totally based off of interpretation and totally open-minded, I respect what others believe...but like I said before...don't just throw something out there with some half-hearted attempt at proof. We are all capable of our own thoughts but some people may interpret what you say one way and it may be wrong historically. I would be surprised if you could actually prove that religion was never Matriarchal... but regardless, belief and religion comes from the innermost heart.

[DMSelena]

@just1singlegirl I'm late in responding/approving your comments. I am a radical feminist, so please don't misunderstand where I'm coming from. I also am not interested in debasing your faith, so I'm not sure that debating you is productive. I think that the contemporary Neo-Pagan and Wiccan religions are a great thing for women and they ARE legitimate, regardless of whether there existed a Matriarchy in ancient history. That is the point you make here which is the important thing.

[DMSelena]

Expanding on those references, the Robert Graves entry in Wiki also has more references regarding the poetic license he took with the ancient myths, effectively creating his own mythology. He also made up the druidic "tree calendar" for which there was no evidence, as made apparent with the discovery of the Coligny Calendar. I don't think this makes them illegitimate myths, or Wiccan/Neopagan mythology illegitimate, but simply not authentically rooted in the ancient traditions.

[tweethang1]

Goddess blessings to those mudered and burned. May your spirits find peace

[MagicTellaVision]

"THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES IS NOT IN ANY SENSE FOUNDED ON THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION." (Treaty of Tripoli, Article 11: Written during the Administration of George Washington and signed into law by John Adams.)

[dancingnancy09]

@helluvacurry thats not entirly accurate - it is not the midwife who is being targeted but the risky concept of homebirth- whilst i agree that homebirths should not be banned- the reasons are valid ones- so yes i can believe it. I almost lost my premature baby(who was named after our midwife) & had i not been in a hospital with doctors and equipment nearby i would have.I know more than 1 couple whose babies died in homebirths. Birth is an unpredictable process & anything can go wrong.

[EatYourChimp]

What is this SONG? Can anyone tell me please?

[MagicTellaVision]

I now feel spiritually liberated by divorcing my mind from the Middle Eastern Christian Extremists who’s Religion is of foreign Propaganda, which is not ingeniousness to our Native Pagan Heritage.

[thepixieful]

this is a tourist spot in the center of the city of Bath, I loved seeing the roman baths, in the cafe you can have lunch and a healing sip.

[50simona]

I really appreciate this films, what a gift! I would like to know if this is available subtitled in spanish...

[lordelcorion]

Winnersdonth avecows# p/a/u/0/ GdgAlK 9UOW4

this is the kind of guy that we fight every day for our rights... and all of what he speaks is mis-imformation. stand up for our rights. flag hate!!!

[GabrielDhalaman]

It hurts the bottom of my heart to realize that NEW people need to remember ancient cults,as the cults for the sun,the moon,etc, they were showing...rescuing,having to RESCUE and ancient culture,a WHOLE ancient culture,not only one,but various cultures...

The CATHOLIC CHURCH had the liberty that the NAZIS didn´t have...They were FREE to persecute and destroy all the western world as they wanted too...only recently we are picking the few ashes that remains from that HOLOCAUST,oh,my heart